Wolves once almost signed a player under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo who is now a four-time Premier League title winner.
Wolves fans can never forget how Nuno Espirito Santo, now manager of Nottingham Forest, revolutionised the club.
The Portuguese boss led the Old Gold back to the Premier League in 2018 as they won the Championship title.
Inspired by a core of talent from Portugal, including Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio, to name a few, Wolves secured back-to-back seventh-place finishes and European football.
Compared to the current day, where the Wanderers are battling relegation in 2024/25, Santo had Wolves flying during this period, with super agent Jorge Mendes orchestrating their deals in the window.
- READ MORE: Gary O’Neil told he could use surprise Wolves star to replace Yerson Mosquera amid expert verdict
Wolves almost signed Manchester City star Ruben Dias in 2019
After finishing in Europe in 2019, one player they almost signed – who happened to be presented by Mendes – was current Manchester City superstar Ruben Dias.
Following their seventh place finish, Santo quickly identified Dias as his primary target after his excellent form made him a regular for the Portugal national team and helped Benfica win the Primeira Liga.
Dias, aged 22 at the time, was regarded as one of the best centre-backs in Europe and the release clause set by Benfica reflected his value.
To capture the Portuguese titan, Wolves were demanded to trigger the £57 million asking price which ultimately saw them call off a deal.
Dias would, of course, find his way to the Premier League a year later, as the talented centre-back joined Man City in a deal worth £65 million.
That was an expensive price to pay for a 23-year-old who was unproven in England, but it’s a decision that has paid off emphatically, with City enjoying unprecedented success in the last four years.
Ruben Dias is one of the Premier League’s greats
For Dias and Wolves, it is a case of what could have been, with the Wanderers understandably pulling out of a deal.
The former Benfica man has become one of the Premier League’s best defenders, with his incredible strength and ability to read the game are two attributes that continue to shine.
Dubbed ‘unstoppable’ by Joe Cole, Dias has achieved incredible success since completing his move to the Etihad, with the 27-year-old winning four league titles in a row.
He was also part of the treble-winning team of 2023, as the Citizens claimed the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one campaign.
Whether Dias would have found his way to Man City if he joined Wolves is something we’ll never know however, the fact Santo wanted him speaks volumes of their ambition back then.